Pattern or color indicating mechanism for chenille or other machines



c; LEA. PATTERN OR COLOR INDICATING' MECHANISM FOR CHENILLE OR OTHER MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 23. 1919- Patented Apr. 5, 1921.

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. c. LEA. PATTERN 0R COLOR INDICATING MECHANISM FOR CHENILLE OR OTHER MACHINES APPLICATION FILED OCT. 23, 1919.

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Giza/3 36s Lea l UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES LEA, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS TO MOHAWK CARPET MILLS, INC., 02' AMSTERDAM, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

PATTERN OR COLOR INDIGATING IWIECHANISM FOR GHENILLE OR OTHER MACHINES.

nevi-5,514.

Original application filed November 2, 1918, Serial No. 129,072.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 5, 1921.

23, 1919. Serial No. 332,781.

1 all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that I, CHARLES LEA, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Pattern or Color Indicating lilechanism for Chenille or other Machines, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like characters on the drawing-s representing like parts.

This application is a division of my copending application Serial No. 129,072, filed November 2, 1916, now Patent No. 1,828,570, dated January 20, 1920, for mechanism for and process of producing chenille.

This invention relates to pattern or color indicating mechanism for chenille or other machines. V

In order that the invention may be clearly understood, 1 have in the accompanying drawings disclosed one type or embodiment thereof.

in said drawings;-

Figure 1 is a view partly in side elevation and partly in vertical longitudinal section of the main parts of an organized machine constructing chenille and to which my invention is applicable and is represented as applied without, however, being restricted to use there-with;

2 is a plan view of a portion of the mechanism shown in Fig. 1 and representing the weft controlling magazine;

Fig. 3-7- is a detail in plan of a color indi' c ating amparatus constituting one embodiment of my invention and represented as applied to a chenille producing machine;

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the construction represented in Fig. 3; and

Fig. is a front elevation of the parts shown in Figs. 3 and 4t.

lily invention is a pattern or color indicating mechanism which while particularly adapted for use in chenille producing machines is applicable toother textile machines or to other mechanisms. It is peculiarly adapted to a textile apparatus where-in different colored strands, threads or the like introduced. I have herein represented my invention as applied to a chenille producing machine wh rein a magazine or other suitable means is provided for introducing diii'erent colored weft threads. These weft threads, desirably but not necessarily, are introduced as short lengths, so as to provide free or tufted edges at the opposite edges of the woven sheet. The purpose of my in vention so far as this application thereof is concerned, is to provide" means suitably to indicate thecolors of the weft threads that are to be used in sequence. I will first describe without unnecessary detail the main parts of a chenille producing mechanism in connection with which my invention may be employed.

The framing of the machine is indicated generally at 1. It consists of suitable side uprights connected by tie bars or otherwise. At the back of the machine I support a spool or beam, not shown, whereon the warp threads 2 are wound and from which they are guided over a suitable rod or guide roll 3. Above the warp threads 2 is supported a spool or beam a whereon the doup threads 5 are wound. Each of said spools or beams is preferably provided with a brake or tension strap not herein shown. The warp threads 2 are adapted to be shedded in any suitable manner, and I have herein represented them as extending at a and 3?) respectively through.- the eyes of needles 6, 'Lequal in number to the total number of warp threads 2. The said needles 6 and 7' are carried by the frames 8, 9 of. the harnesses and at their inner faces said frames are provided'with racks 10. 11 meshing with. circumferentially formed teeth 12 upon a rock shaft whereby said heddle frames and their needlesare oppositely reciprocated in a vertical plane.

The doup threads pass over a rod 13 whereby the slack may be taken up. For this purpose any suitable construction may be employed. I have herein represented said rod 13 as mounted on sleeves, one of which is indicated at 1-1 and positioned for vertical sliding movement upon upright posts, one of which is indicated at 15' and carried by the frame of the machine. Suitable coil springs, one of which is indicated at 16, are provided yieldingly to support the rod 13 in the position shown in Fig. 1., The

doup threads 5 extend through the eyes of needles 17 mounted in and depending from Divided and. this application filed October a doup harness frame 18 itself positioned for vertical sliding movement in guldeways 19 in the machine frame.

in any suitable manner. Herein for the purpose I have represented the machine as having a drive shaft 20 mounted in suitable bearings in the machine frame and having fast thereon a suitable driving pulley and a gear 21. Meshing with the gear 21 is a gear wheel 22 loose on a shaft 23 itself mounted for rocking movement in'suitable hearings in the machine frame. Meshing with the 'gear 22 is a smaller gear 24 fast on a shaft 25 mounted in the machine'frame and having thereon a cam 26 provided with a cam track 27. i

The gear 22 has in one face thereof a cam track 28 receiving a roll 29 on a lever arm 30 loosely mounted for rocking movement upon the shaft 25 and having pivotally connected at its outer end (not shown) a connecting rod 31, the lower end of which is represented as broken away and which is itself pivotally connected at 32 to the warp heddle frame 9. In this or in any other suitable manner-a movement of vertical reciprocation is imparted to the warp heddle frames 8, 9 and sheds are consecutively formed with the warp threads in the man her not herein necessary more fully to describe. I 7

I have not herein represented the means for imparting vertical reciprocations to the doup harness frame/18, nor the means for imparting lateral or transverse movement thereto, so as to carry the doup threads across the body of the chenille, as this may be effected in any suitable manner, and my invention is not necessarily concerned therewith. V r

The chenille producing mechanism is provided with a reed 33 fast upon the upper end of a reed frame or lever 34 itself loosely mounted for rocking movement upon the shaft 23 and having an arm 35 carrying at itsouter end a roll 36 positioned in the cam track 27, whereby said reed is moved to and fro to beat up the weft in a manner not necessary more. fully to describe.

Any suitable means may be provided to present a single weft or any one of a plurality of weft threa'dsor strands to a suitable device or mechanism for laying the weft in position as a separate length, which device or mechanism may be of the character indicated in my said application Serial No. 129,072. If a plura-lity of weft threads be employed,they may be different among themselves in color or otherwise.

In Figs. 1 and 2, I have represented at 37 a portion of a wcft'magazine having a number of weft tubes, each of which is adapted to carry a suitable weft thread for presentation to the weft needle or whatever means be employed for inserting the selected weft thread. The magazine 37, ifemployed, may be selectively operated in any suitable manner, either automatically or otherwise. Herein for the purpose of manual operation, I have represented the shaft 39 of said magazine as having fast thereon a hand wheel 40, by means of which the desired weft thread may be presented to the weft needle orother weft inserting device.

It is unnecessary to disclose means for inserting the weft thread as the same may be of any suitable character. Preferably, however, it is of; the generalcharacter shown in my said application Serial No. 129,072.

In the disclosed chenille producing machine, I have provided means to weave the chenille fabric of a suficient width to provide for a plurality of chenille strips, and I then preferably act upon said chenille fabric so as to sever the same into strips, to subject the strips to a moistening action, and then to form the moistened chenille strips preferably by a heating and a drying action, whereby each of the chenille strips is brought into condition for immediate use. Preferably each of the strips is then conveyed to some suitable collecting mechanism or device, such as a receptacle. I have not disclosed said mechanism in detail as it may be of any suitable characte Briefly stated, however, after the fabric is formed by interweaving of the warp threads, the weft threads and the doup condition passes between two rolls indicated.

at 41, 42 in Fig. 1. These rolls are mounted between shafts 43, 44 in suitable hearings in the machine frame and preferably in such a manner that the upper roll is held firmly but yieldingly in cutting relation with the lower roll. The said rolls 41 and 42 are driven in any suitable manner, not herein indicated, and in such a manner as preferably continuously to move the entire chenille fabric through and past said rolls at a low rate of speed. Splinedupon the cutter shafts 43, 44 are a series of cutting disks, not herein necessary to describe in detail and by the action of which the chenille fabric is severed into a series of narrow strips depending in number upon the number of cutting disks. In this condition the product is fed over or in any other suitable relation to a moistening apparatus, herein typified by a steam pipe 45 having openings whereby the steam received from any suitable source may be discharged under the fabric.

The chenille fabric may be steamed or otherwise suitably moistened before severance into strips instead of afterward. After the chenille strips have been moistened, they are subjected to a heating operation employed as a part of the forming operation, and whereby the tufts of the strips are caused to assume and retain their proper relation with respect to each other. For this purpose, I have indicated in Fig. 1, a heating drum 4:6 heated in any suitable manner, not herein necessary to disclose. The severed chenille strips are held upon the heating drum in any suitable manner, as, for example, by a series of rolls 47 carried at the outer ends of arms 48 mounted upon a shaft 49 and corresponding in number to the number of chenille strips. In this or in any other suitable manner, the separated chenille strips are held in position upon the heating drum and are subjected to a thorough forming operation thereon. from the chenille strips 50 are passed into suitable receptacles preferably coresponding in' number to the number of the strips.

Having thus described in some detail one form of chenille producing mechanism in connection with which my invention may be employed and with which it peculiarly cooperates, I will now describe means whereby the colors or pattern effect to be produced by the weft threads are indicated.

The colors of the weft are preferably changed in accordance with the pattern of the rug or other product that is to be ultimately woven. In order that the chenille may be formed of the proper color,that is, inorder that the proper color of weft may be furnished from time to time to the weft needle or filling carrier or other weft laying device, I may provide any suitable pattern or color indicating mechanism; Preferably I provide mechanism adapted to be mounted upon the framing of the chine and to be operated in a step-by step manner from some moving part thereof, as, for example, by the rising movement of the doup harness 18. In carrying my invention into effect, I preferably provide a continuous strip ofpaper or other suitable material which has been previously ruled off into rectangles painted or otherwise suitably colored to indicate the color of the weft threads that are to be used in sequence.

Referring to Figs. 3, 4; and 5, the said paper strip is indicated at 51 and the differently colored rectangles thereof are indicated most clearly at 52- in Fig. 5, the strip being herein indicated as of the width of two such rectangles.

The said .strip 51 is passed about a roll ordrum 53 fast upon a shaft 54m0untedin There suitable bearing upon the machine frame and having fast thereon a ratchet wheel 55 with the teeth of which is adapted to engage either end 56, 57 of a double ended pawl loosely, pivoted upon a pin 58 itself mounted upon a lever arm 59 mounted loosely upon the said shaft 54. A coil spring 60 connects thelever arm 59 with a head 61 of said double ended -pawl, so as to hold either end thereof in meshing relation with the teeth of the ratchet wheel 55. The lever arm 59 is normally downwardly spring actuated by a coil spring 62- connected at one end to said lever arm 59 and at its other end to the framing of the machine as indicated at 63 in Fig. 4;; i

The head 64 of the lever 59 extends into the path of the vertical reciprocations of the doup harness frame 18 whereby each lifting or rising movement of the doup harness frame moves the roll or drum 53 one step forward or permits said roll or drum to be moved one step in the opposite direction depending upon which end 56 or 57 of the clouble ended pawl 61 is in meshing relation to the ratchet wheel, 55. It is, of course, evident that the step-bystep or other suitable movement of the drum 53 may be inaugurated from some other suitable portion of the machine, but preferably I effect such movement in the manner indicated.

In order to hold the strip 51 in non-slipping relation to the roll or drum 53, I preferably provide a presser roll 65 mounted upon a stud 66in the frame of the machine and provided with rubber-or other suitable surface 67 to engage the strip 51.

The pattern or color indicating apparatus is preferablyused with that form of my invention wherein the weft thread magazine is manually moved from time to time in accordance with the pattern, though it is evident that its use is not limited thereto. It is, however, positioned in proximity ,to the said weft magazine 37, so that the operator,

who is in a position to turn the hand wheel 40, may observe the color scheme of the said strip 51.

In order that the color scheme of the strip 51 may be accurately and yet readily observed, I preferably provide meanswhere by the portions of the said strip 51 that are not then under observation are masked or concealed from the operator, whereby only the single rectangle indicating the color of weft that is being used is exposed. IVhile for this purpose any suitable means may be provided, I have herein indicated a mask 68 shown most clearly in Figs. 4 and.- 5 assecured to the framing of the machine and extending-upward therefrom in a curved path which may be concentric with the periphery full width of the said strip 51 and of the length of one rectangle thereof. Mounted upon the firstmask 68 is a second mask- 69 which may be slid upon. the first mask 68 in a direction circumferentially of the roll or drum 53 in any suitable manner and preferably manually asv by a handle or projec cated in Fig. 5, the color scheme of the strip 51 is observable throughthe opening 71, and said strip 1S continuously observed through the said opening 71 so long as the strip 51 is" fed in one direction, say, upwardly, viewing Fig. 5. i V

When the end of a pattern has been reached, as for example, when a sufficient amount of chenille has been formed'to extend in the regular weaving'operation. to the middle of the rug and the pattern is to be reversed, then manuallv or otherwise the pawl 61 is'reversed, thus reversin'gthe direc tionof movement of the strip 51. At the same time the second mask 69 is moved downward, viewing Fig. 5, ,to permit the strip to be observed through the opening 72 and the larger opening in themask 68. It will thus be observed thatthe rectangles at one side of the longitudinal center of the strip 51 control when the strip is fed in one direction and the rectangles at the'other side of the longitudinal center of the strip '51 control when the. strip is fed in the opposits direction.

Obviously the pattern or color indicating mechanism herein disclosed may be .applied to any textile or other machine 'or apparatus having to do with color schemes It is particularly applicable to a loom or like textile machine that introduces weft or like threads,

the'color or other characteristic of which is to be changed from time to time either auto-' matically or otherwise.

.VVhile I have described my invention with particular reference to color effects, it is evident that the invention may be used to indicate other characteristics in a strand. thread o the like, as, for example, the quality, size or material thereof.

Havingthus described one illustrative embodiment of my invention, I desire it to be understood that although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense] and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being set forth in the following claims;

Claims: p i y Y 1. A textile organization employing warp threads, and transversely extending threads having distinguishing characteristics and interconnected therewith, said organization having means to introduce and to interconnect said threads,and indicating means for such characteristics including a surface having colors indicated thereon in a predetermined order, and coacting feeding means to feedsaid color indicating surface.

2. A chenille machine comprising in combination, means to introduce warp threads,

means to introduce weft threads, and color warp threads, a doup harness, means to introduce weft threads, color indicating means for the weft threads, said color indicating means including means to support a colorindicating surface, means to move said color indicating means, and means to reverse the direction of movement of said color indicating means; 7 y

d. A chenille machine comprising in combination, means to support Warp threads, means to introduce different colored weft threads, a color indicating surface marked with colors corresponding to the color changing demands for the weft threads, and means to operate said color indicating surface in conformity with said demands and from the chenille machine organization.

5.1-1 textile or like machine 'wherein different colored threads'are introduced, a color indicating surface marked with colors corresponding to the color demands of said threads, and means to feed said surface in either direction in conformity with said demands.

6. A chenille machine comprising in combination, means to introduce warp threads, meansto introduce'weft threads. and color indicating means for the weft threads, said color indicating means including means to support a surface having colors indicated thereon'in a predetermined order and feeding means operated from said machine to feed said color indicating surface.

'7. A chenille machine comprising in combination, harnesses to introduce straight warp threads, a doup harness, means to introduce weft threads, and color indicating means for the weft threads, said color indieating means including means to support a color indicating surface, and means operated from the doup harness to feed said surface.

8. A chenille machine comprising means to introduce Warp threads, means to introduce Weft threads, and color indicating means for the Weft threads, said color indicating means including means to support a color indicating strip, and means to mask a portion of the surface adjacent to the representation of the color that is being indicated.

9. A chenille machine comprising means to introduce Warp threads, means to introduce Weft threads, and color indicating means for the Weft threads, said color inclicating means including means to support a color indicating strip, means to mask a portion of the surface of said strip adjacent to the representation of the color that is being indicated, and meansto feed said strip in synchronism with the weft thread introduction.

10. A chenille machine comprising in combination, means to introduce Warp threads, means to introduce Weft threads having distinguishing characteristics, and indicating means for such distinguishing characteristics including a surface marked to represent or indicate such characteristics, supporting means for such surface and feeding means for said surface.

11. A chenille machine comprising in combination, harnesses 'to introduce straight Warp threads, a doup harness, means to introduce Weft threads, color indicating means for the Weft threads, said color indicating means including means to support a color indicating surface, and step-by-step means to move said color-indicating means.

12. A chenille machine comprising in combination, harnesses to introduce straight Warp threads, a doup harness, means to introduce Weft threads, color indicating means for the Weft threads, said color indicating means including means to support a color indicating surface, and a ratchet and reversible pawl to drive said color indicating means. 7

13. A chenille machine comprising in combination, harnesses to introduce straight Warp threads, a doup harness, means to introduce Weft threads, a color indicating strip having colors marked thereon in a predetermined order, and an inner and outer mask for said strip.

142. Color indicating mechanism comprising in combination, a strip having a double column of color indications, and means to indicate from one column When the strip is moved in one direction, and from the other column when the strip is moved in the opposite direction.

15. Color indicating mechanism comprising in combination, a strip marked with color indicating the color demands of the mechanism, and means to move said strip in either direction.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

CHARLES LEA. 

